Variety is reporting that Cristal Pictures has picked up The Steward, an action-thriller from John Wick creator Derek Kolstad. According to the site, the project will feature on an original character, and is being planned as a potential franchise launcher with worldwide appeal, including China.
“Derek is a terrific writer and masterful at creating original, electrifying characters, and we cannot wait to develop this project,” said Scott Einbinder, president of Cristal. “The Steward, which is driven by a charismatic lead, possesses the kind of proven genre appeal that has resonated in both the domestic and worldwide markets.”
Kolstad wrote John Wick on spec, and returned to pen this year’s John Wick: Chapter 2. Earlier this month he closed his deal with Lionsgate to pen the script for Chapter 3, which is slated to begin production later this year.